Course Descriptions

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HLS 505 – Introduction to Homeland Security 3cr.
This course will map and examine the homeland security terrain as it orients students with the essential theories, ideas, and issues that constitute the emerging discipline of homeland security. Students will be introduced to national, state, local and private strategies and polices; public and private homeland security initiatives; best practice theory; and the relationship between homeland security and homeland defense agencies.

HLS 510 – Asymmetric Threats to the American Homeland 3cr.
The central purpose of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the theoretical, practical, organizational, and operational aspects of asymmetric terror organizations. Through the context of the U.S. security domain, students are provided an understanding of the methodologies and tradecraft utilized by clandestine groups to organize, recruit, and operate. The course addresses the various forms of terrorism along with successful anti-terror strategies used to compromise violent clandestine groups.

HLS 525 – Intelligence Issues in Homeland Security 3cr.
The course objective is to provide students a graduate-level understanding of the organizational, operational, and substantive issues in the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC). The course explores the role of intelligence as it relates to homeland and national security. Students will discuss issues relating to collection, analysis, fusion, dissemination, policy and strategy impact, intergovernmental relations, and oversight. The course investigates intelligence support issues and collection methodologies associated with non-federal agencies. The entire intelligence community is examined along with the laws, regulations, and governing policy that impact U.S. intelligence operations.

HLS 530 – Graduate Research in Homeland Security 3cr.
The purpose of this course is to provide graduate students an introductory-level understanding of the research methodologies, theoretical models, and problem-solving skills that government personnel or those employed in a homeland security-related field are likely to encounter during their careers. This course explores the practices and modalities of quality research as students are introduced to an array of qualitative and quantitative research techniques. Students learn how to conduct case study and policy analysis research. Students also learn a number of effective problem-solving techniques, how to write about numbers, and how to display data in research or presentations.

HLS 540 – Modern Security Technologies 3cr.*
In today's interconnected and technology-based society, government, and private agencies are more dependent than ever on technology to accomplish their missions. This course provides students an overarching examination of Homeland Security technologies. Students will learn how to leverage and use technology as a tool to facilitate the intelligence, prevention, protection, response, and recovery missions. The course broadens student perspectives about security-related technologies and enables them to understand the issues associated with identifying, implementing, and evaluating a new technology or the novel application of a technology in the Homeland Security field.

HLS 532 – Critical Infrastructure Protection 3cr.
Protecting critical infrastructure is one of the most important aspects of homeland security. This course introduces students to America’s infrastructure, the central role it plays in a modern society, and the network theory titled Model-Based Vulnerability Analysis (MBVA) used to protect these national assets. Each infrastructure sector is examined along with the inherent difficulties associated with protecting complex systems and networks. The course presents the fundamentals of risk assessment and teaches students how to arrive at an optimal investment strategy for protecting an asset or asset component. Through the application of theory, principles, and methodology, and by studying case examples, students will be able to construct effective protective strategies for infrastructure in their discipline, region, or state. The course examines the economic impact of major system failure caused by malfunction, disaster, or attack.

HLS 542 – Emergency Management in Homeland Security 3cr.
This course is founded on the premise that effective homeland security leaders must possess a comprehensive understanding of emergency management principles, practices, strategies, and methodologies. This course introduces students to the dynamic field of emergency management and then works to deepen student understanding through the use of case study. Students learn to view emergency management and disaster from an administrative, political, social, and economic perspective. Interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, legal, political, and policy issues are examined. Students learn how emergency managers operate before, during, and after a manmade, accidental, or naturally occurring disaster.

HLS 550 – Project Management for Homeland Security Leaders 3cr.
To be successful in today’s rapidly evolving world, leaders and employees in the public and private sectors must possess a comprehensive understanding of the concepts, principles, and practices associated with project management. This course provides students the necessary knowledge and skill sets to identify, plan, and bring to fruition complex domestic and international projects in hyper-competitive environments. The course examines an array of project management issues, including planning, implementing, scheduling, budgeting, and assessing techniques. Students learn collaboration building skill-sets through a team-based approach to project, program, and portfolio management. This course will assist students to deliver projects in a timely, professional, and consistent manner.

HLS 555 – Cybersecurity for the Homeland Security Professional 3cr.*
This course examines practical, theoretical, and regulatory aspects of modern-day cyber threats and conflict through the lens of U.S. Government cybersecurity policy. Through analysis of existing cyber threats, cybersecurity regulations and network attack case studies, the course explores the many challenges policy makers confront when attempting to codify domestic and international cyber security standards and enforceable laws. The course also examines smart and best practices in private-sector cyber security initiatives.

HLS 562 – Comparative Homeland Security 3cr.
The overarching purpose of this course is to provide students a detailed examination of the national counterterrorism and homeland security strategies, policies, and practices employed by a variety of countries in Europe and Western Asia. Students work toward developing an understanding of the difficulties associated with national security-related policies. Learning how other countries cope with the terrorism phenomenon while balancing the need for security and the demands of a free society is the central theme of the course. The course includes a survey of counterterrorism policy responses in liberal democracies across the globe.

HLS 568 – Psychology of Terrorism 3cr.
This course introduces students to the psychological aspects of terrorists, terrorism, mass-casualty, and catastrophic events. The course focuses on how seemingly good people are able to perpetrate acts of extreme violence. In addition, students are introduced to the psychological consequences experienced by victims and the general public when terrorism and other horrific acts occur and are then publicized in the media. The course will conclude by reviewing the status and fallacies related to the interventions applied to victims of extreme events.

HLS 577 – Strategic Issues in Homeland Security 3cr.
The principle objective of this course is to broaden student understanding of the multidisciplinary and contrasting architecture of Homeland Security. Students examine a variety of contemporary issues in the areas of public health; citizen and state rights; border, maritime, aviation, and transportation security; the civil-military relationship; the impact of security on commerce; and the expanding role of law enforcement in national, regional and state security efforts. The course also examines the USA PATRIOT Act and the handling of citizens when they are detained for terrorist-related violations.

HLS 590 – Capstone: Application of Knowledge 3cr.
The Capstone course provides students the opportunity to broaden and deepen their understanding of the knowledge acquired in the Homeland Security program. The course examines the content, core issues, and future application of the knowledge acquired in each course. Additionally, the course identifies and surveys future issues associated with each course topic. The course is presented in seminar format.